EA announces $1.6m Battlefield 3 contest, PC gamers not invited

Digital war veterans will have the opportunity to compete for a life-changing $1.6 million in cash and prizes as part of an upcoming Battlefield 3 contest. Hosted by EA DICE and Virgin Gaming, the "Battlefield 3 Worldwide Conquest Tournament" will kick off in early 2012 with online matches and culminate with a live grand finale.

Interested? Lace up your combat boots and march over to the official contest site for preregistration -- but leave your keyboard and mouse at home. Unfortunately, the event is only open for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 players. PC gamers hoping partake in the festivities might want to brush up on their shooter skills with a gamepad.

As the contest page boldly states, this is "the largest online console game tournament ever." It's unclear why PC gamers have been excluded, but I'm sure we can all think of at least one reason. With Battlefield 3 being the subject of many disappointments in the PC community lately, we imagine this news merely adds insult to injury.

It was recently revealed that PlayStation 3 players would receive a week-long exclusivity on all Battlefield 3 expansions. Prior to that, EA faced backlash because it won't offer Battlefield 3 through Steam. Gamers were also disgruntled over EA's preorder antics and the lack of an in-game server browser (you find games in a Web browser).

It's worth noting that the game entered beta this week. Folks who preordered Battlefield 3 or purchased Medal of Honor Limited Edition gained access yesterday, while everyone else will be invited tomorrow. Early impressions are mixed, but we'll reserve judgment for the final release. Oh, and be sure to update your drivers if you're playing.